1199SEIU Retired Members Division

BULLETIN

IN THISI S S U E

330 West 42nd St. New York NY 10036 (646) 473-8666 www.1199SEIUBenefits.org

Enrolled In Our 1199SEIU HIP VIPMedicare Plan Yet?

Page 2 − 1199SEIU RMD President’s MessagePage 3 − 1199SEIU Benefit & Pension Funds

Executive Director’s MessagePage 4 − NYC Calendar of Events

Page 5 − Out-of-State Retiree ChaptersPage 6 − Important InformationPage 7 − Activist Page – 1199SEIU President’s MessagePage 8 − Upcoming Events/Trips

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2008

If you’re a National Benefit Fund or Greater New York retiree living in New York City or Nassau County, we have good news for you! Now, when you become Medicare-eligible, you will be automatically enrolled in the 1199SEIU HIP VIP Medicare Plan with no paperwork to complete.

To be enrolled in this plan, you must also be enrolled in Medicare Part A and Part B. So it’s important that three months before you turn 65 (or after you have been on Social Security Disability for20 months), you make sure to visit your nearest Social Security Office to register.

If you have any questions about automatic enrollment or about the 1199SEIU HIP VIP Medicare Plan you may contact HIP directly at (877) HIP-1199. If you have any questions about your enrollment options, please contact the Retiree Health Benefits Departmentat (646) 473-8666.

Did you know…If you live in New York City, even if you don’t receive retiree health coverage through the Benefit Funds (for instance, if you are a retired Home Care worker), you can still enroll in the 1199SEIU HIP VIP Medicare Plan. With the 1199SEIU HIP VIP Medicare Plan, you’ll have access to expanded Medicare coverage at no cost to you – including primary care doctor visits with no co-pay, and vision, hearing, basic dental care and basic prescription coverage.Call our Retiree Health Benefits representatives at (646) 473-8666 for more information.

Once You’reEligible, We’llDo It for You

Dear Sisters and Brothers,

This month we celebrated Labor

Day, which gave us a chance

to remember how hard we’ve

struggled to enjoy the benefits

we have today. I’d also like to

welcome you all back from these

vacation months, and I hope you

had a nice and relaxing summer.

Now that September’s here, I want

to remind you that our classes and

activities are back in full force.

I encourage you to use these fall

months to get involved and stay

informed about what’s happening

in our Union and at our Benefit and

Pension Funds. Make sure you join

us at your local chapter meeting to

stay connected.

As always, I encourage you to try

something new and take advantage

of the many opportunities our

Retired Members Division offers.

In Solidarity,John Perkins

Queridos Hermanos y Hermanas,

Este mes estamos celebrando el Día

del Trabajo, lo cual nos brinda una

oportunidad para recordar cuán duro

hemos tenido que luchar por

los beneficios que tenemos hoy.

También quisiera darle la bienvenida

de sus meses de vacaciones, espe-

rando que haya disfrutado de un

verano relajante y agradable. Ahora

que estamos en septiembre deseo

recordarle que nuestras clases y ac-

tividades comienzan nuevamente con

plena fuerza.

Le exhorto a que use estos meses de

otoño para involucrarse y manten-

erse informado sobre lo que está

sucediendo en nuestro Sindicato y en

nuestro Fondo de Beneficios y de Pen-

siones. No deje de participar en nues-

tras reuniones de agrupación local

para mantenerse conectado.

Como siempre, le exhorto a que

pruebe algo nuevo y aproveche las

numerosas oportunidades que nuestra

División de Miembros Jubilados

le ofrece.

En solidaridad,John Perkins

2 SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2008

1199SEIU RMD President’s MessageMensaje Del Presidente

John Perkins

1199SEIU AnnualAnne ShoreHoliday BanquetMonday, December 1, 2008

Hilton New YorkGrand Ballroom1335 Sixth Avenue(between 53rd & 54th Sts.)

$10 Member$20 Guest (one guest per retiree) Coat check required (additional fee)Space is limited – first come, first serve.You may purchase tickets by check or money order only at the Retired Members Division or at your local chapter meeting. (No payments will be accepted by mail.)

For more information call Peter Rosario at (646) 473-8761.

New York City-Area Retirees: Don’t Forget Your

Free Flu ShotGetting a flu shot is one of the most critical ways that retirees can protect their health. And if you’re a New York City-area retiree, you can get one right here at the Benefit Funds’ office for free. If you live outside the New York metro area, we encourage you to make an appointment with your doctor for the flu shot before flu season begins. Medicare and your Benefit Fund both cover the flu shot if you are eligible.

Tuesday, October 14, 20089:30 am to 2:30 pm

1199SEIU RMD Headquarters330 West 42nd Street, 9th FloorManhattan

Please note that flu shots are on afirst-come, first-serve basis and are provided by the New York City Department of Health.

Retiree 09.08-10.08 Bulletin v2.indd 2 9/15/08 10:51:24 AM

Dear Retired Member,

This election will be critical in deciding how

our country ensures that we all have access

to quality, affordable health coverage and

retirement security. Of course, as 1199SEIU

retirees you’ve worked hard for those

benefits. And as you’ll read in President

Gresham’s column, 1199SEIU retirees will

play an important part in this election year.

We’re proud to be able to provide you with

the benefits that you’ve won, and that’s

why we’re always working to improve

our programs and services for you. To

make sure you can access your retiree

health coverage seamlessly, this fall we’ll

start enrolling retirees automatically in the

1199SEIU HIP VIP Medicare Plan when they

become eligible, with no paperwork for you

to complete. We’re also helping to protect

your health with new fitness and exercise

classes and free flu shots at our Retired

Members Division.

Whether you are at home or on the road,

we are here for you. You can call us any

time if you have questions about your health

or pension benefits at (646) 473-8666.

Sincerely,

Querido Miembro Jubilado

Estas elecciones serán críticas para decidir

cómo nuestro país asegura que todos nosotros

tengamos acceso a un seguro de salud

asequible y de calidad, y a una seguridad

en la jubilación. Por supuesto, como jubilado

de 1199SEIU, usted ha trabajado duro para

ganarse esos beneficios. Y como leerá en la

columna del Presidente Gresham, los jubilados

de 1199SEIU jugarán un importante papel en

las elecciones de este año.

Estamos orgullosos de poder proporcionarle

los beneficios que se ha ganado, y es por eso

que siempre estamos trabajando para mejorar

nuestros programas y servicios para usted. A fin

de asegurarnos de que pueda tener acceso a su

cobertura de salud de jubilado sin ningún tipo de

problema, este otoño empezaremos a inscribir

automáticamente a los jubilados en el Plan de

Medicare 1199SEIU HIP VIP, al momento en

que se vuelven elegibles, sin necesidad de que

tenga que llenar formularios. También estamos

ayudando a proteger su salud con nuestras

nuevas clases de ejercicios para mantenerse

en forma y vacunas contra la gripe gratuitas en

nuestra División de Miembros Jubilados.

Sea que se encuentre en su casa o viajando,

estamos siempre a su disposición. Puede

llamarnos en cualquier momento si tiene alguna

pregunta sobre sus beneficios de salud o

pensión al número (646) 473-8666.

Sinceramente,

3 SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2008

A Message fromUn Mensaje de Mitra Behroozi

Vision/Hearing Screening

Friday, October 1710:00 am to 12:00 pmFirst-come, first-served

1199SEIU RMD330 West 42nd Street9th Floor

NewShakespeare Play

The Retired Members Division Shakespeare Class is currently studying “Twelfth Night,” the fifth play in our Shakespeare Series. Classes are held every Tuesday, 12:30 pm to 1:30 pm,at the Retired Members Division, 330 W. 42nd Street, 9th floor.

All are invited. Prior knowledge of Shakespeare is not necessary. Just come with a sense of humor and your curiosity.

Movie SeriesWednesday, October 112:45 pm to 2:45 pm“Frequency” (2000)Dennis Quaid

Wednesday, October 2212:45 pm to 2:45 pm“The First Wives Club” (1996)Diane Keaton & Goldie Hawn

1199SEIU RMD330 West 42nd Street, 9th FloorFor more information,contact the RMD Main Officeat (646) 473-8666.

4 SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2008

NYC OCTOBER CALENDAR & CHAPTER MEETINGS All classes are open to retirees and free of charge.

1 2 3

6 7 8 9

OFFICE CLOSED

10

13 14

NO CLASSES

Flu Shots

15 16 1710-12

Screening

20 21 22 23 24

27 28 29 309–12 Exec. Mtg.

Meeting

31

MEETING TOPICSOctoberGeneral Membership Meeting: “PrescriptionSubstance Abuse”

Chapter Meetings: “Updating Your Prescription Records”

NovemberGeneral Membership Meeting: “Smoking Cessation 5-Week Program – Kickoff”

Chapter Meetings: “Effects of Secondhand Smoke”

NEW HYDE PARK ELEANOR TILSON CHAPTERL.I.J. Schneider Children’s Hospital Teaching Ctr. – Conference Room269-01 76th Ave.Tuesday, October 21 - 1:30 pm to 3:30 pm

QUEENSST. ALBANS CHAPTERGuy Brewer Democratic Club197-01 Linden Blvd.Tuesday, October 28 - 11:30 am to 1:30 pm

HICKSVILLEMILTON KONOWE CHAPTER1199SEIU Hicksville Office100 Duffy Ave.Wednesday, October 15 - 11:00 am to 1:00 pm

NORTH BRONX BERNARD MINTER CHAPTERHoly Rosary Church1510 Adee Ave.Tuesday, October 14 - 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm

BRONXJOSEPH JAMES CHAPTER1199SEIU Healthcare & Education Center2501 Grand Concourse, Room 301Friday, October 10 - 10:00 am to 12:00 pm

EAST HARLEMLEON DAVIS CHAPTERCasita Maria Senior Center55 East 102nd St.Friday, October 31 - 10:30 am to 12:00 pm

BROOKLYNMATTIE SMALL CHAPTER(Brooklyn Cluster) 25 Elm Place (between Fulton & Livingston Sts.)Friday, October 17 - 11:30 am to 1:30 pm

BROOKLYN MARSHALL DUBIN CHAPTERBrooklyn College - Student Center, 2nd FloorEast 27th St. & Campus RoadWednesday, October 15 - 11:00 am to 1:00 pm

*Sponsored by HealthC

are Partners, IPA

5 SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2008

FLORIDA NOTES

We are continually striving to enhance the variety of programs, speakers and activities each month at our chapter meetings. Retirees have enjoyed energetic discussions about proposed legislation regarding healthcare and property, the upcoming election and creating new, senior-oriented community resources. Lectures on healthcare as well as updates on your retirement benefits have also proved to be interesting and valuable.

We are always looking for creative individuals who would like to share their talent or skill by volunteering to teach a class to our retirees. If you are interested, please call me or speak with me at the chapter meetings.

The key to a successful program is involvement. In some chapters, attendance at meetings has reached peak levels. We encourage all our retirees to attend a monthly meeting to hear updates about their benefits while sharing meaningful retirement experiences.

If you are planning to retire in Florida, please feel free to contact me so that we can get you involved in our local chapter activities.

Please check the October meeting calendar now, and save the date for your local chapter meeting!

Sincerely,

Marilyn Silverberg

OUT-OF-STATE RETIREES

FLORIDA CHAPTERS

Wednesday, October 1 - 10:30 am OCTOBER MEETING ONLYSEIU Florida Public Service Union2112 S. Congress Avenue, Suite 207(just south of Forest Hill Blvd.)Palm Springs

Tuesday, October 14 - 12:00 noon(2nd Tuesday of the month)Tamarac Public Library8701 W. Commercial Blvd.Tamarac

NO MEETING THIS MONTHTemple Emeth5780 W. Atlantic Ave.(at Via Flora intersection) Delray Beach

Friday, October 10 - 10:30 amNorth Miami Beach Public Library1601 NE 164th St. North Miami Beach

Wednesday, October 22 - 10:30 amLocal 8 SEIU Headquarters7001 Lake Ellenor Drive(off W. Lancaster Drive)Orlando

Thursday, October 23 - 11:00 amCasselberry Public LibraryMeeting Room 2 (October only)215 N. Oxford RoadCasselberry

Wednesday, October 29 - 11:00 amPort St. Lucie Community Center2195 SE Airoso Blvd. Port St. Lucie

For information about Florida chapter meetings, contact Marilyn Silverberg:Toll-free: (877) 369-8340; Fax: (561) 369-8342In Palm Beach County: (561) 369-83408775 Via Tuscany Drive, Boynton Beach, FL 33472

NORTH & SOUTH CAROLINAS CHAPTER

Birnie Hope Center210 South Purdy St.Sumter, South Carolina

For more information, call Nonnie B. Perry at (803) 481-0475.

6 SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2008

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

¿Aún no se ha inscrito ennuestro Plan de Medicare 1199SEIU HIP VIP?

Una vez que se vuelva elegible,lo haremos por usted!Si es un jubilado del Fondo Nacional de Beneficios (National Benefit Fund) o un jubilado del Gran Nueva York que vive en la Ciudad de Nueva York o en el Condado de Nassau, tenemos buenas noticias para usted! Ahora, cuando se vuelva elegible para Medicare será inscrito automáticamente en el Plan de Medicare 1199SEIU HIP VIP sin necesidad de llenar ningún formulario.

Para que pueda ser inscrito en este plan, debe estar inscrito también en el Medicare Parte A y Parte B. Por lo que es importante que tres meses antes de cumplir los 65 (o después de haber recibido pagos por Discapacidad del Seguro Social durante 20 meses), debe dirigirse a la Oficina del Seguro Social más cercana para inscribirse.

Si tiene alguna pregunta sobre la inscripción automática o sobre el Plan de Medicare de 1199SEIU HIP VIP Medicare Plan, puede comunicarse directamente con HIP al (877) HIP-1199. Si tiene alguna pregunta sobre sus opciones de inscripción, sírvase contactar al departamento de Beneficios de Salud para Jubilados al (646) 473-8666.

¿Sabía que…?Si vive en la Ciudad de Nueva York, incluso si no recibe cobertura de salud de jubilado a través del Fondo de Beneficios (por ejemplo, si es un trabajador jubilado de Cuidados en el Hogar), aun puede inscribirse en el Plan de Medicare 1199SEIU HIP VIP. Con el Plan de Medicare 1199SEIU HIP VIP, usted tendrá acceso a una cobertura ampliada de Medicare sin costo alguno para usted – incluyendo las visitas al médico de atención primaria sin ningún copago, y la cobertura para atención de la vista, atención auditiva, cuidados dentales básicos y medicamentos con receta básicos. Llame a nuestros representantes de Beneficios de Salud para Jubilados al (646) 473-8666 para obtener más información.

Protect YourselfWith Direct Deposit

It’s an unfortunate reality that there are people out there who like to take advantage of seniors. But there are many ways to keep yourself and your money safe, and probably one of the best ways to keep your pension check out of harm's way is to sign up for Direct Deposit. With Direct Deposit, there's no risk of having your pension check lost or stolen in the mail or on the way to the bank. Your money will be deposited in your bank account automatically on the first business day of every month, and you can access it that very day.Direct deposit is easy, safe and free. For more information about signing up for direct deposit, call the Retiree Services Center at (646) 473-8666.

Meet YourRetiree Travel Committee

Since many of our 1199SEIU retirees are interested in traveling to new places, our 1199SEIU retirees have set up a Travel Committee to help plan your trips.

If there’s a destination you want to visit, or if you would like to help organize a group of retirees for a trip, let one of your Travel Committee members know. They’ll take the information back to the travel agencies we are working with.

Please note that while the Travel Committee will help choose the vacation packages, the travel companies are solely responsible for the trips provided.

To get involved, call:(347) 597-5185

(718) 624-1363

Herbert Hicks (718) 363-0959

(718) 271-3144(Atlantic City only – Sylvia is covering for Ora Halloway temporarily)

(718) 774-5992

7 SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2008

ACTIVIST PAGE

THIS PAGE IS PAID FOR BY 1199SEIU UNITED HEALTHCARE WORKERS EAST

A Message from

George Gresham

Dear Sisters and Brothers,

With little over a month remaining before Election Day,

November 4, the retired members of our Union are playing a

crucial role in our Union’s strategy to elect Barack Obama as

President and to send a worker-friendly, healthcare-friendly

Congress to Washington.

The overwhelming majority of 1199SEIU

retired members are located either in the

New York metropolitan area or in the

vital battleground state of Florida.

Several retirees are among the brigades

of full-time volunteers who have fanned

out across the country to work in the

Obama campaign or to register voters

and mobilize for Election Day.

Many more have become Weekend

Warriors, our 1199SEIU contingents that

leave their home states – that are securely in the Obama camp

– to go to nearby swing states for the weekend. Downstate

New Yorkers, for example, are Weekend Warriors in

Pennsylvania, and Upstate members are going to Ohio. Our

Massachusetts sisters and brothers travel to New Hampshire,

just as our Maryland and DC members go to Virginia. Our

Florida retirees obviously stay put, with their work cut out for

them in their own communities.

If you haven’t signed up to become a Weekend Warrior, it is

not too late to do so, with several weekends remaining before

November 4. Just contact Betel Manjura in Political Action

at (212) 261-2474.

In the meantime, every single retiree – even

if you are unable to work or travel – can

contribute to this historic campaign that

will determine the fate of our country, and

perhaps the Planet Earth itself. None of

these efforts are possible without financing.

Federal law prohibits the use of Union

dues for political purposes, so we depend

on the voluntary contributions of you and

our other retired and working members

to our Martin Luther King, Jr. Political

Action Fund.

No $5 or $10 or $25 contribution you

make this year will be more important or put to better use.

We urge you to give generously. Please send your check to

the M. L. King, Jr. Political Action Fund c/o 1199SEIU, 310

West 43rd Street, New York, NY 10036. You’ll be proud –

and we will be grateful – that you did so.

In Solidarity,

Every single retiree –

even if you are unable

to work or travel – can

contribute to this historic

campaign that will

determine the fate of

our country...

1199SEIU Benefit and Pension Funds330 West 42nd Street

New York NY 10036-6977

Presorted

PAIDNew York NY

UPCOMING EVENTS/TRIPS

ATLANTIC CITY - BALLY’S CASINOMonday, October 20, 2008Pay $25 – Get $18 Back

1199SEIU 310 West 43rd Street (bet. 8th & 9th Aves.)Sylvia Williams (718) 271-3144

Brooklyn CollegeEast 27th Street and Campus RoadHerbert Hicks (917) 971-7415

1199SEIU Brooklyn Cluster(bet. Fulton & Livingston Sts.)Lena Hayes (718) 624-1363

197-01 Linden Blvd.Clifton Rutherford (718) 657-8348

All payments (check or money order only) are due by October 15 and should be made payable to Fantastic Tours and Travel. You must give your payment to your chapter representative or bring itto the RMD Headquarters at 330 W. 42nd Street, 9th Floor.

Our 1199SEIU retirees have set up a Travel Committee to plan your trips! This change will also make it easier for you to pay for your trips through the tour companies.While the Travel Committee will help choose the vacation packages, please note that the travel companies are solely responsible for the trips provided.

LAS VEGAS – BALLY’S HOTEL & CASINO

Package includes round-trip airfare from JFK to Las Vegas, four nights accommodations, day trip to Laughlin, coupon book, transfers and baggage handling in Las Vegas, taxes and trip cancellation insurance.

$679 per person, double occupancy$659 triple$869 single

Failure to make payment in full by October 10 may result in cancellation of reservation and loss of deposits paid.

For more information, please call Indirect Travel Services at (516) 352-6900. Make all checks payable to Indirect Travel Services, 1 North Tyson Avenue, Floral Park NY 11001.